Method of Using a Mouth Contoured Drinking Vessel

ABSTRACT

A solution that makes it easier to drink from a cup by contouring the brim to interface with the drinker&#39;s mouth. Drinking vessels are improved by depressing the brim to channel the drink to the drinker&#39;s mouth.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application for patent No. 62/048,900 entitled Mouth Contoured Drinking Vessel, filed on Sep. 11, 2014, and U.S. Non-Provisional Application for patent Ser. No. 14/851,144 entitled Mouth Contoured Drinking Vessel, filed on Sep. 11, 2015, which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a method of drinking using a drinking vessels.

2. Description of the Related Art

Drinking vessels have existed for thousands of years and come in various shapes and forms. Most vessels have a uniform upper edge or brim that is smooth and uniform in shape. Generally, a drinker tilts the vessel to her mouth or uses a straw to drink. However, straws are not always appropriate and can cause slurping noises. Uniform brims are susceptible to spillage during drinking. Also, uninform brims do not inform the drinker of where is proper or best to the drink from the vessel.

The prior art provides for pitchers, gravy boards, and measuring cups which help reduce spillage during pouring operations, but the prior art is not intended, designed, or optimized for drinking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes problems with the prior art by making it easier for a drinker to drink, sip and pour from a vessel. It also solves the problem of a drinker not knowing from which part of the brim to drink.

The invention overcomes the problems with the prior art by depressing the brim in one more sections to form a valley or channel in which the drinker can pour the drink into the drinker's mouth. The valley or channel is optimally contoured to interface with the mouth of the drinker.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in example drinking vessels the invention is not limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing from the invention and the equivalents of the claims. However, the construction and method of operation of the invention together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a left handed coffee cup with the novel brim for drinking.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top down view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a bottom up view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in FIGS. 1 through 3.

FIG. 5 is a handle side view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 6 is a handle-less side view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 7 is perspective view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in FIGS. 1-6.

FIG. 8 is alternate perspective view of the left handed coffee cup drawn in FIGS. 1-7.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a tumbler with the novel brim for drinking.

FIG. 10 is a rear view of the tumbler drawn in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a top down view of the tumbler drawn in FIGS. 9-10.

FIG. 12 is a bottom up view of the tumbler drawn in FIGS. 9-11.

FIG. 13 is a side view of the tumbler drawn in FIGS. 9-12.

FIG. 14 is an alternative side view of the tumbler drawn in FIGS. 9-13.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the tumbler drawn in FIGS. 9-14

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the tumbler drawn in FIGS. 9-15.

FIG. 17 is a front view of a martini glass with the novel brim for drinking.

FIG. 18 a rear view of the martini glass drawn in FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a top down view of the martini glass drawn in FIGS. 17-18.

FIG. 20 is a bottom up view of the martini glass drawn in FIGS. 17-19.

FIG. 21 is a side view of the martini glass drawn in FIGS. 17-20.

FIG. 22 is alternate side view of the martini glass drawn in FIGS. 17-20.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the martini glass drawn in FIGS. 17-22.

FIG. 24 is an alternative perspective view of the martini glass drawn in FIGS. 17-23.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a left handed coffee cup 100 incorporating the novel drinking brim 102 on its upper edge. The novel drinking brim 102 is contoured to fit with a drinker's mouth and channel the contents of the coffee cup 100, or the drink, into the drinker's mouth, minimizing spillage and aiding the drinker to drink from the coffee cup 100. FIGS. 2-8 illustrate multiple views of the same mug with novel drinking brim 102. The coffee cup 100 and its novel drinking brim 102 are depicted at various angles in FIGS. 1-8. However, the novel drinking brim 102 is not visible from the back of the coffee cup 100 as shown in the rear perspective of FIG. 2.

Novel drinking brim 102 is positioned at the top edge of the open portion of coffee cup 100, as illustrated in FIG. 7. The valley or channel of novel drinking brim 102 is optimally contoured to interface with the mouth of the drinker. This is the edge where a drinker's mouth touches coffee cup 100 to drink the contents of coffee cup 100. For a vessel with a handle 104, such as coffee cup 100, novel drinking brim 102 is strategically at a position on the top edge of coffee cup 100 relative to the handle 104 position.

Alternatively, exemplary embodiments of the instant invention implemented as a coffee cup include right handed embodiments where the handle is on the right side approximately ninety degrees counter-clockwise from the novel drinking brim 102. Additional embodiments of the instant invention include the novel drinking brim 102 on both the left and right hand sides of the coffee cup 100, not depicted, with two handles to accommodate both left and right handed drinkers.

The instant invention relating to a drinking vessel includes different handle 104 orientations compared to pouring vessels. Examples of pouring vessels include: pitchers, gravy boats, and measuring cups. Unlike the instant invention, vessels designed for pouring generally orient the pouring handle approximately 180 degrees (opposite) from the pouring spout. Moreover, the shape of the pouring vessel spout is designed for pouring, not drinking. The shape of a pouring vessel spout is related to flow of the vessel contents into an open container, such as a mixing bowl. The instant invention novel drinking brim 102 is designed to contour a drinker's mouth to provide a smooth transition from the drinking vessel, or coffee cup 100, into the drinker's mouth. In this context, a drinker's mouth includes a drinker's lips, tongue, oral mucosa, and all other parts a drinker's face that comes in contact with the novel drinking brim 102. A drinker, in the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, is a human being. However, a drinker is any mammal capable of using a drinking vessel to consume contents through the drinker's mouth.

To accommodate a drinker's mouth, the novel drinking brim 102 protrudes outward from the outer circumferential plane of coffee cup 100, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The top surface of novel drinking brim 102 is contoured downward, best illustrated in FIGS. 5-8.

Although described as a coffee cup, the drinking vessel of the instant invention includes any type of cup or vessel that has contents consumable by a drinker. Examples include, but are not limited to: mugs, wine glasses, tumblers, collins glasses, martini glasses, pilsner glasses, and highball glasses. A handle is included in example embodiments of the instant invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1-8, the preferred embodiment of novel drinking brim 102 is contoured to a drinker's mouth and slightly depressed. When used properly, the novel drinking brim 102 forms a channel to the drinker's mouth to optimally flow the contents of coffee cup 100 into the drinker's mouth.

FIGS. 9-16 illustrate an example embodiment of the instant invention using a tumbler drinking vessel. In this embodiment, tumbler 200 does not include a handle for the drinker to use when consuming the contents of tumbler 200. Instead, the outer surface of tumbler 200 has a continuous cylindrical shape.

Novel drinking brim 102 is contoured to a drinker's mouth and channels the contents of the tumbler 200, or the drink, into the drinker's mouth. The contoured shaped of novel drinking brim 102, that protrudes from tumbler 200 and is slightly depressed, optimizes the flow of the contents of tumbler 200 into the drinker's mouth. Novel drinking brim 102 minimizes spillage and assists the drinker in drinking the contents of the tumbler 200.

Tumbler 200 does not include a handle, as compared to coffee cup 100. As shown in FIGS. 9-16, novel drinking brim 102 is positioned on the top edge of tumbler 200. Since a drinker can pick up, or grasp, tumbler 200, in many different circumferential positions, the position of novel drinking brim 102 along the top edge of tumbler 200 is not critical.

The shape of novel drinking brim 102 is contoured to the mouth of a drinker. As illustrated in FIGS. 9-16, novel drinking brim 102 extends radially outward from the top edge of tumbler 200. The top portion of novel drinking brim 102 is depressed relative to the top edge of tumbler 200. At the outermost portion of novel drinking brim 102, the bottom contour of novel drinking brim 102 restricts back to the body of tumbler 200. Overall, the shape of novel drinking brim 102 has multiple contours to provide the best fit between the novel drinking brim 102 and the mouth of the drinker.

FIGS. 17-24 illustrate an example embodiment of the instant invention using a martini glass. In this exemplary embodiment, martini glass 300 includes novel drinking brim 102, bowl 302, stem 304, and base 306. Novel drinking brim 102 is positioned on the top edge of bowl 302, as shown in FIGS. 21-24. Novel drinking brim 102 is placed at any orientation along the upper edge of bowl 302. The angled profile, or shape, of bowl 302 does not impact the contoured profile of novel drinking brim 102 since novel drinking brim 102 is shaped to fit a drinker's mouth.

The bottom of bowl 302 of martini glass 300 is connected to stem 304. Stem 304 is further connected to base 306. A drinker typically holds martini glass 300 by stem 304 when picking up martini glass 300 to take a drink. The contents of martini glass 300 are located in bowl 302. In an example embodiment, the contents of martini glass 300 are located in bowl 302, stem 304, and optionally in base 306. The drinker consumes the contents of martini glass 300 by placing his mouth onto novel drinking brim 102.

In an exemplary embodiment, martini glass 300 includes more than one novel drinking brim 102. Any drinking vessel can include multiple novel drinking brims 102. Although sized may vary, a standard martini glass holds 4.5 fluid ounces. Oversized martini glasses, which can often include 12 fluid ounces, are popular at restaurant and bar locations. Multiple people order an oversized martini glass to jointly share in the consumption of the contents of the oversized martini glass. An example embodiment of an oversized martini glass includes two or more novel drinking brims 102 on the same side of the bowl 302. This allows two or more drinkers to consume the contents of the oversized martini glass at the same time.

In an alternative embodiment the a drinking vessel may be shared by two or more persons through novel drinking brims on alternative sides of the vessel, such that the vessel is passed back and forth between persons sharing the glass, where each person has there own novel drinking brim.

In an embodiment utilizing more than one novel drinking brim the additional drinking brims may be further identified and/or distinguished by marking, with color, symbol, decoration or otherwise. The identifying channel markers enable persons sharing a drink to identify, maintain and/or choose a specific spot on the brim. In some embodiments the extent of channel depressions forming drinking brims may vary in the extent in which they extend outward and/or downward and/or in the width and depth of the valley channel. This enables a single vessel to have multiple countered drinking brims. Each countered drinking brim provides a different drinking experience. The varying contours of drinking brims may be preferably selected by a drinker or used in a game of chance and/or skill.

Thus, it is seen that the objects of the present invention are efficiently obtained, although modifications and changes to the invention should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, which modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. It also is understood that the foregoing description is illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered as limiting. Therefore, other embodiments of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of drinking, via a drinking vessel with one or more depressions in the brim of the drinking vessel, comprising: placing a mouth on at least depression in the brim of a drinking vessel, using said depression to channel the drink to said mouth.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: placing a second mouth on at least one additional depression in the brim of a drinking vessel, using said additional depression to channel the drink to said second mouth.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: using channel markers associated with one or more depressions to select the depression associated with one or more drinkers.
 4. The method of claim 2, further comprising: using channel markers associated with one or more depressions to identify the depression associated with one or more drinkers. 